How much money do tattoo artists make?

The average salary for a tattoo artist in 2013 was around $32,000. However, tattoo artists make their money based on the amount of work they generate by bringing in customers and advertising their designs.

The amount of money tattoo artists make depends almost entirely on their reputations. New artists cannot ask people to pay high rates for tattoos. They first have to apprentice for a few years. They also need to be license by a governing board that regulates tattoo parlors and artists before they can begin charging higher rates for their work. Scott Campbell, the most expensive tattoo artist in the world as of 2013, has such a high reputation that he can charge $1,000 for one hour of work.